The 2013/14 Winter Holiday DUI Mobilization crackdown on drinking drivers has ended and resulted in a significant number of DUI arrests from the Sobriety Checkpoints, Special DUI Saturation Patrols and routine patrol in the Santa Barbara County ‘AVOID the 12’ DUI Campaign for the past 20 days.

From 12:01 AM Friday, December 13th, through midnight Wednesday, January 1, 2014 officers representing 12 county law enforcement agencies have arrested151individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In 2012/13154DUI arrests occurred during the 19 Day winter holiday campaign. Tragically, there was one death attributed to an impaired driver in Santa Ynez! Last year there were no DUI related deaths during the year end campaign.

**NOTE: These numbers are only provisional with some agencies yet to report.

These numbers are in comparison to last year’s totals during the holiday period. Law enforcement officials will be conducting more ‘AVOID the 12’ DUI operations throughout the county and region next during Super Bowl Sunday in February and then again for local St Patrick’s Day Festivities in March. Police, Sheriff and the CHP encourage all motorists to help law enforcement every day: Report Drunk Drivers – Call 9-1-1 anytime you encounter an impaired driver.

DUI Checkpoints, along with regularly scheduled high visibility DUI enforcement, are proven strategies with the goal of removing impaired drivers from the road and heightening awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), sobriety checkpoint programs can yield considerable cost savings: $6 for every $1 spent. Multiple DUI Campaigns are planned in 2014.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

‘AVOID the 12’refers to the number of Law Enforcement agencies in Santa Barbara County that you will avoid being in contact with should you chose to drive sober.

DUI arrest data collection will continue through New Year’sDay, Wednesday, January 1st, 2014.